AMMAN —
Prime Minister
Bisher Al-Khasawneh has defended his government’s record, saying
that it had some setbacks and not all decisions taken were the right ones. He
stressed that his government’s mission is not done yet. Khasawneh was speaking
to Ammon News Tuesday in his first media interview since he became premier two
years ago.
اضافة اعلان
He said that the latest economic decisions
taken by his government, including the customs duty reforms, aim at protecting
local industries, and improve the competitiveness of the Jordanian industrial
sector, adding that the new electricity tariff will end subsidies to non-Jordanians.
Khasawneh said that the
government is working to resolve a number of issues related to failed projects
including the Jordan Gate Towers near the Sixth Circle by injecting funds to
complete the project.
Khasawneh denied that he
visited Damascus secretly but said he had exchanged messages with his Syrian
counterpart. He added that his government was sworn in at a difficult time and
its priority was to mitigate the effects of the pandemic. He said that the
second goal was to hold the legislative elections and finally to present the
general budget.
Khasawneh said that the government had
succeeded in the gradual reopening of all sectors leading to a safe summer
followed by safe autumn and finally resuming in-person education.
The prime minister said that his government
had embarked on a plan to fix the national economy and that it realizes that
the only way to deal with unemployment is to partner with the private sector.
Khasawneh said he enjoys excellent working
relationship with the head of the General Intelligence Directorate Maj. Gen.
Ahmad Hosni but that sometimes there are differences in opinions. He added that
all government bodies are concerned with protecting personal freedoms and that
there should not be any detentions outside the rule of law.
The prime minister said that Jordanian media
enjoys high level of freedom as well as the alternative media, like social
media where there are cases of exaggerated and unjustified criticism. Khasawneh
said that relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE and the Gulf in general are
excellent.
He defended the constitutional amendments
and the formation of a
National Security Council adding as the country reaches
parliamentary governments in few years’ time there has to be guarantees that no
party majority can dominate at the expense of high national interests.
Khasawneh said that the fate of the
Jordanian Teachers Syndicate will be decided by the courts. He added that he feels enthusiastic
about the new administrative city project but that it needs further studies and
the devil is in the details.
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